A renowned Ghanaian business tycoon, Mr Ibrahim Mahama, according to a story we have published at our front page today, has flown a 12 year old Leukaemia patient, Lisa Laryea, to the Republic of South Africa for emergency treatment.
The story also reveals that not only is Mr Mahama paying for the full cost of the treatment, which has been estimated at a whopping $110,000, he also hired an air ambulance that airlifted the patient and her mother to South Africa yesterday (Sunday). As if the gesture was not enough, Mr Ibrahim Mahama personally went to Terminal Two of the Kotoka International Airport to supervise the smooth process of the medical journey of the girl and her mother.
“When we learned about Lisa’s condition on social media, we knew we had to step in and help. Every child deserves the opportunity to live a healthy and happy life. When it comes to saving human life, our Father and Boss, Mr Ibrahim Mahama doesn’t consider the cost.
“He has unlimited empathy towards humanity. He gives the instructions to everyone and we work to make sure we get the job done properly. Because the flight was 6am scheduled chartered flight, I got to the Ridge hospital at 3am today (Sunday), we wanted to make sure we get everything done properly, with regards to conveying Lisa from the hospital to the airport. The Doctors are on standby in South Africa. By God’s grace, Lisa will come back stronger,” Mr Mahama’s Aide told the media.
The Chronicle is grateful to Mr Mahama for the support he has extended to little Lisa and her family. Indeed, this is not the first time he is helping a Ghanaian – he has done so severally. It is our hope and prayers that the huge investment he is making in little Lisa will not go down the drain and that the patient will be healed and successfully return to the country.
Mr Mahama has touched our hearts because there are thousands of wealthy people in this country, but most of them do not care a hoot about the welfare of the poor in the society. They sometimes forget their backgrounds and try to look down upon people because they have the money.
In fact, some of these wealthy people are only interested in buying expensive cars and mansions and flaunting them on social media. Much as one cannot question them because it is their own money and they have the right to spend it the way they want, they also owe it as a moral duty to support the poor, as Mr Ibrahim Mahama has done in the case we are referencing.
Mr Bill Gate and Aliko Dangote among other wealthy people in the world did not say because it is their own money, they have to keep it to themselves – no, they don’t simply do that.
Ibrahim Mahama cannot obviously compare himself to Bill Gate and others, but by Ghanaian standards, he is one of the wealthiest people in the country, and we are once again grateful to him that he has not forgotten the poor.
It is the hope of The Chronicle that the care and compassion he has extended to little Lisa and her family will spur on his colleagues who have the cash to also turn their attention to the poor and rescue them from whatever sufferings they may be going through. The wealthy people should not gloss over the fact that it is these same poor persons that have made them who they are today.
Whatever products or services they are selling are not patronised only by the people who have much to spend, but by the poor as well. This is the more reason why they owe it as one of their social responsibilities to always support the poor.
It is our prayers that Mr Ibrahim Mahama’s businesses will flourish so that he can have the means to help more people who are in dire need of support.
